Frito-Layhttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/frito-lay
en-usFri, 18 Aug 2017 01:16:00 -0400Fri, 18 Aug 2017 01:16:00 -0400The latest news on Frito-Lay from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-potato-chip-bags-empty-top-half-full-2017-8Why potato chip bags are always empty at the tophttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-potato-chip-bags-empty-top-half-full-2017-8
Sun, 06 Aug 2017 08:33:00 -0400Uma Sharma and Jessica Orwig
<p>Don't you hate when you pull open a fresh bag of chips and you find SO much empty space? Who are potato chip companies trying to fool? No one! In fact, that space is there for a very good reason: to make sure that your chips arrive to you fresh and delicious. That empty space is filled with a secret ingredient: Nitrogen!</p>
<p><span><strong>Follow Tech Insider:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/techinsider">On Facebook</a></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-potato-chip-bags-empty-top-half-full-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-brings-back-mac-n-cheetos-2017-5Burger King's most bizarre menu item is 'back by popular demand' (QSR)http://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-brings-back-mac-n-cheetos-2017-5
Thu, 11 May 2017 10:48:00 -0400Kate Taylor
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/576ada4c910584cc008cafc4-1080/00854_maccheetos_pr_v63%5B3%5D%20(1).jpg" alt="Mac n cheetos" data-mce-source="Burger King"></p><p>Mac n' Cheetos are about to return to the menu at <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/qsr-Quote">Burger King. </a></p>
<p>The bizarre fast-food mashup will return to menus for a limited time beginning on May 18. The Mac n' Cheetos will come in an order of five pieces, with the recommended price of $2.69. </p>
<p>The dish, made of creamy mac n' cheese deep fried into Cheeto-shaped sticks and covered with crispy Cheetos flavoring, was originally introduced in June 2016. According to Burger King, the "instant guest favorite" is "back by popular demand," after it sold out in just a few weeks last summer. </p>
<p>While it's hard to argue with the fact that Mac n' Cheetos went instantly viral, customers' actual appreciation for the menu item was more mixed. </p>
<p>In a Business Insider taste test, about half of the testers were repulsed by the cheesy treat. </p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/576c14a652bcd044008cb564-2003/burger%20king%20mac%20n%20cheetos-6.jpg" alt="Burger King Mac n Cheetos 6" data-mce-source="Hollis Johnson"></p>
<p>"These are bad. Very bad," one tester said. "There is no flavor, no crispiness, just a mushy center that vaguely resembles mac and cheese that’s been run through a blender coated in something that looks like Cheetos and has also run through a blender."</p>
<p>However, others will likely be ecstatic to see the item back on the menu. </p>
<p>"I'm so concerned as to how much I think I like these," said one such Business Insider taste tester. "I ate gourmet French cuisine yesterday and I am deriving nearly the same amount of satisfaction now."</p>
<p>Some Mac n' Cheetos fans have taken to social media in recent months to demand the return of the menu item.</p>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/BurgerKing">@BurgerKing</a> bring back cheesy tots and Mac N' cheetos </p>— Chump Bert (@_albertpareja) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/853723842153512961">April 16, 2017</a>
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I'm just gonna say it. I miss burger king's mac n cheetos. </p>— chapyn barnett 🐝 (@yochapyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/859149116026241024">May 1, 2017</a>
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All I want are some mac n cheetos and they don't sell them anymore so rip </p>— donny (@daniikaaa21) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/852625381827817472">April 13, 2017</a>
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<p>In the months since Mac n' Cheetos disappeared from Burger King menus, Mac n' Cheetos obsessives have been able to find frozen versions of the treat, made by Frito-Lay, in grocery stores or at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sheetz-is-not-better-than-wawa-2017-3">Sheetz, a regional chain of convenience stores. </a></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-faces-a-crisis-that-predates-e-coli-2017-5" >Chipotle is finally addressing a crisis that has plagued the chain for years — and it has nothing to do with E. coli</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-brings-back-mac-n-cheetos-2017-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-home-development-store-coming-home-depot-tree-house-lowes-retail-2017-7">This new solar-powered home development store is coming after Home Depot</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-flavors-disneyland-trash-frito-lay-frontierland-brand-chips-tortillas-2017-1Doritos were originally Disneyland trashhttp://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-flavors-disneyland-trash-frito-lay-frontierland-brand-chips-tortillas-2017-1
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:00:00 -0500Jacqui Frank
<p>In the early days of Disneyland, a restaurant named <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-are-from-disneyland-garbage-the-surprising-history-2014-5">Casa de Fritos invented Doritos</a> by repurposing stale tortillas they bought from a local vendor. The chips proved to be so popular they were eventually rolled out nationally by Frito-Lay in 1966.</p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BI_Video" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://twitter.com/BI_Video&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1485277706859000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHhUOZ1QZNL-qw9HZAnMLM59rMJKA">On&nbsp;Twitter</a><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-flavors-disneyland-trash-frito-lay-frontierland-brand-chips-tortillas-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/frito-lay-tacos-on-the-go-2016-12Frito-Lay is about to make it easier to get tacos on the gohttp://www.businessinsider.com/frito-lay-tacos-on-the-go-2016-12
Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:04:00 -0500Daniel B. Kline
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/585875c5a1a45ef4008b6ff8-540/undefined" alt="walking taco" data-mce-source="Frito-Lay" /></p><p>There was a time when getting a taco with Doritos as a prime ingredient required getting inventive in the kitchen or visiting a Yum! Brands&nbsp;Taco Bell location.</p>
<p>Now, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay brand has brought taco-like products based on its most-popular snack chips to convenience stores, concession stands, and college campuses.</p>
<p>Called "<a href="http://www.fritolay.com/snacks/product-page/top-n-go/doritos-top-n-go-walking-tacos" target="_blank">Top N Go Walking Tacos</a>," the product was actually launched via food truck in February at the Super Bowl and they have been touring the country for almost a year. That apparently successful tour has led the company to try a wider rollout, bringing portable savory meals/snacks involving Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, Ruffles, and Tostitos to all the aforementioned locations.</p>
<p>It's a bold brand extension by a company that has previously worked with Taco Bell on a variety of Doritos Locos Tacos, as well as some other products involving snack chips. Frito-Lay has also recently partnered with Restaurant Brand International's&nbsp;Burger King for a series of Cheetos-based foods. The walking tacos represent the next logical step in taking brands that started as snack chips and leveraging their name recognition into expanded markets.</p>
<h2>What is PepsiCo/Frito-Lay doing?</h2>
<p>The company was smart in gauging reaction for its news snack-chip-based meal/snack option by test marketing it via food truck. Consumer reaction to the Top N Go products -- which are snack chips served in a bag with a choice of taco-appropriate toppings -- was clearly strong. The truck went through 30 states in six months, serving 23,000 of the Walking Tacos, according to PepsiCo.</p>
<h2>Is this a good idea?</h2>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5760049791058424008c8c03-2048/1973349_10152389795379697_6621588182186339947_o.jpg" alt="Doritos Locos" data-mce-source="Taco Bell" data-link="https://www.facebook.com/tacobell/photos/a.81097684696.68431.18595834696/10152389795379697/?type=3&amp;theater" /></p>
<p>Taco Bell reignited sales and interest in its brand with the Doritos Locos Taco, and now has multiple variations on its menu. Burger King does not appear to have ignited the same business success with its Mac N' Cheetos or its Cheetos Chicken Fries, but it certainly got significant media attention and that likely led to sampling as well as increased traffic in its stores.</p>
<p>It makes sense for Pepsi/Frito-Lay to leverage the name recognition of its popular snack chips to attempt to enter new categories. The creation of Top N Go Walking Tacos lets the company offer a meal-like alternative that competes with the hot dogs, pizza slices, and burritos offered in a convenience store setting. Next to those choices, a well-known snack chip selection might get people's attention. Frito-Lay is inserting its products into a situation where being a well-known brand will trump the fact that its "tacos" are snack chips topped with your choice of meat, cheese, onions, and/or jalapenos.</p>
<h2>These walking tacos could be a hit</h2>
<p>With Top N Go Walking Tacos, Pepsi and Frito-Lay are going after a younger audience simply looking for quick, tasty, and easy. College students made Taco Bell's "fourth meal," essentially a late-night second dinner, a viable concept and they are largely why certain pizza chains stay open well past midnight.</p>
<p>This is food for people who don't put a ton of thought into what they are consuming or at least they are not being all that discerning in the moment. Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, and Tostitos bring name recognition to a part of the convenience store where it's lacking. That could make these a very big hit simply by being the best choice at times and locations where choices are limited.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/frito-lay-tacos-on-the-go-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/andew-zimmern-biggest-mistake-eating-steak-bizzare-foods-travel-channel-2017-7">The biggest mistake everyone makes when eating steak, according to Andrew Zimmern</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-and-retail-news-february-19-2016-2Consumer and retail news: 10 things you need to know todayhttp://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-and-retail-news-february-19-2016-2
Fri, 19 Feb 2016 11:04:43 -0500Marina Nazario
<h3><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/56a2a8ad8a4565c703a9768d-2500-1668/uniqlo-1-1.jpg" alt="UNIQLO 1" data-mce-source="Hollis Johnson" /></h3>
<h3>1.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uniqlo-made-a-tiny-change-to-its-most-popular-shirt-and-fans-are-furious-2016-2">Uniqlo made a tiny change to the shirt that made it famous</a></h3>
<p><span>Uniqlo slightly loosened the fit of the&nbsp;<span>Oxford Slim Fit&nbsp;Cloth button-down shirt</span>.&nbsp;</span><span>The </span><a href="http://www.uniqlo.com/us/product/men-oxford-slim-fit-long-sleeve-shirt-153320.html#reviews">reviews&nbsp;section for&nbsp;the shirt on Uniqlo's website</a><span>&nbsp;is filled&nbsp;with comments from consumers who dislike the change.</span></p>
<h3>2.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/american-eagles-aerie-lingerie-brand-is-launching-a-campaign-for-national-eating-disorders-awareness-week-2016-2">The lingerie brand that refuses to airbrush models just took another step to be more relatable to women than Victoria's Secret</a></h3>
<p><span>On Thursday American Eagle's teen lingerie brand, Aerie,&nbsp;launched a new&nbsp;campaign supporting&nbsp;National Eating Disorders Association's (NEDA) National Eating Disorders Week. </span></p>
<h3><strong>3.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-all-day-breakfast-competition-2016-2">McDonald's all-day breakfast is causing a crisis in the fast-food world</a></strong></h3>
<p>As competitors announce results, they're admitting that McDonald's is starting to steal market share.&nbsp;On Wednesday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jack-in-the-box-is-getting-smashed-2016-2">Jack in the Box</a>&nbsp;reported both profits and revenues that missed&nbsp;estimates.</p>
<h3>4.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-launches-trade-up-with-installments-2016-2">Apple will discount your iPhone payment plan if you trade in an old phone</a></h3>
<p><span>On Thursday, Apple launched a new program at Apple Stores called "Trade Up With Installments,"&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2016/02/18/apple-offers-new-iphone-trade--plan/80545810/">USA Today</a>&nbsp;reports. This initiative&nbsp;lets shoppers who are purchasing new phones trade in their<span>&nbsp;old phones for discounts on their monthly fees.</span></span></p>
<h3>5.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/adidas-is-now-selling-to-women-2016-2">Adidas is working to fix a huge mistake it's been making for decades</a></h3>
<p><span>In order to keep up with competitors, Adidas has taken several steps to improve its offerings to women, which have traditionally been limited.</span></p>
<h3>6.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nordstrom-inventory-increase-q415-2016-2">Nordstrom just forecast another big win for the American consumer</a></h3>
<p><span>In its fourth-quarter earnings report on Thursday, the department store noted that inventory levels grew. That means more promotions &mdash; which is great news for sale-hungry consumers. However, that's not good news for the retailer.</span></p>
<h3>7.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/youll-be-able-to-shop-on-snapchat-soon-2016-2">You'll be able to shop on Snapchat soon</a></h3>
<p><span>Snapchat board member and Cosmopolitan editor Joanna Coles claims that the Discover feature will soon expand into e-commerce, allowing users to buy products from selected brands, reports </span><a href="http://recode.net/2016/02/17/shopping-is-coming-to-snapchat-board-member-joanna-coles-says/" target="_blank" class="text-link" rel="nofollow">Re/code</a><span>.</span></p>
<h3>8.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hersheys-carrot-cake-kisses-video-2016-2">Hershey&rsquo;s Kisses just released a bizarre new flavor and people don&rsquo;t know how to feel</a></h3>
<p>Hershey will release Carrot Cake Kisses this spring, but people have been having mixed reactions to the news of the launch.</p>
<h3>9.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dominos-snapchat-test-led-to-a-surprising-lift-in-orders-2016-2">Domino's says its Snapchat test led to a 'surprising' surge in pizza orders</a></h3>
<p><span>Domino's Snapchat followers&nbsp;had to piece together the letters of a voucher code which not only led to orders, but also gave the brand&rsquo;s marketers a way to figure out&nbsp;how many people had actually watched it all the way to the end.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3>10.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pepsico.com/live/pressrelease/ruffles-brand-brings-all-dressed-to-the-us-market-for-good-because-americans-are02182016">Frito Lay's Ruffles brings a favorite Canadian flavor to the US</a></h3>
<p>Canada's most popular Ruffles flavor, "All Dressed", is coming back to&nbsp;America. The move i<span>s a way for Ruffles to interact with consumers, according to a <a href="http://www.pepsico.com/live/pressrelease/ruffles-brand-brings-all-dressed-to-the-us-market-for-good-because-americans-are02182016">release.</a></span></p><p><strong>FOLLOW US:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/businessinsider" >On Twitter</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-and-retail-news-february-19-2016-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cheetos-runs-brand-ambassador-chester-for-mayor-in-montana-2015-10Cheetos wants to encourage people to 'pause and think what political discourse has come to' by running its cheetah brand ambassador for mayor in Montana (PEP)http://www.businessinsider.com/cheetos-runs-brand-ambassador-chester-for-mayor-in-montana-2015-10
Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:07:03 -0400Lara O'Reilly
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/561541049dd7cc1b008c0128-985-739/cheetoschest.png" alt="cheetoschest" data-mce-source="Frito-Lay" /></p><p>Cheetos, the Frito-Lay-owned snacks brand,&nbsp;is running its brand ambassador Chester the cheetah for mayor in the town of Chester, Montana.</p>
<p>Of course, there's a slight technicality &mdash; as a cat, Chester can't really register to run for mayor. But the brand is launching a full-blown marketing effort behind his "campaign."</p>
<p>A multi-media ad campaign &mdash; including videos, interviews, and billboards &mdash; created by ad agency Goodby Silverstein &amp; Partners, launched Wednesday and shows Chester and his "Orange Party" aiming to unseat the actual mayor of Chester, Noel Walston.</p>
<p><strong>Here's his campaign announcement video:</strong></p>
<p><iframe width="850" height="450" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HFXlL3jUzBI"></iframe></p>
<p>Speaking to Business Insider, Frito-Lay chief marketing officer Ram Krishnan, said the brand wants to "create a lot of mischief" at a time when political campaigns are dominating the news agenda.</p>
<p>He added: "We&nbsp;want people to pause and think about what political discourse has come to in this country and get people to laugh."</p>
<p>Asked whether he was worried that the campaign could mislead voters into thinking they could actually vote for Chester in the Chester, Montana polling station, he replied: "We do hope the electorate of this country are sophisticated enough to realize that this is tongue in cheek."</p>
<p><a href="http://cheetos.com/chesterforchester/">Chester's campaign website can be found here.</a></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/pepsi-2015-super-bowl-plans-2015-1?r=US&IR=T" >Pepsi Tells Us Why A Super Bowl Ad Should Never Just Be A One-Off</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cheetos-runs-brand-ambassador-chester-for-mayor-in-montana-2015-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/subliminal-sex-messages-hidden-ads-2015-9">Subliminal sex messages hidden in ads for wholesome brands</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-chips-that-taste-like-doritos-locos-tacos-2013-3Frito-Lay Has Created The Most Meta Snack Everhttp://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-chips-that-taste-like-doritos-locos-tacos-2013-3
Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:17:00 -0400Kim Bhasin
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/51521bb0eab8ea277d000010-400-/doritos-locos-tacos-3.jpg" border="0" alt="doritos locos tacos" width="400" /></p><p>Doritos has gone unbelievably meta with its new chip flavor.</p>
<p>Behold, the Doritos Locos Tacos-flavored Doritos.</p>
<p>They're Doritos chips that taste like the Doritos Locos Tacos at Taco Bell that have shells that taste like Doritos.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Umm... you follow?&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Let's break this down.</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Frito-Lay invents Doritos chips.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Taco Bell and Frito-Lay join forces to create Doritos tacos.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Frito-Lay makes Doritos chips flavored like Doritos tacos.</span></li>
</ol>
<p>The new chips come out on April 8.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Frito-Lay's also holding a contest to see what people are willing to do to <a href="https://twitter.com/Doritos/status/316323680282107904">win a pallet of Doritos</a>. Yes, that's a lot of Doritos.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here's the announcement from Doritos' official Twitter account:</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Doritos Locos Tacos will become chips 4/8! Your chance to win a <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23DoritosPallet">#DoritosPallet</a>: tell us how bold you'd go to try them <a href="http://t.co/Dy6ohDL1jS" title="http://pub.vitrue.com/tOZX">pub.vitrue.com/tOZX</a></p>
&mdash; Doritos (@Doritos) <a href="https://twitter.com/Doritos/status/316233101565124608">March 25, 2013</a></blockquote><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/david-einhorn-short-chipotle-2012-10" >Here's The Upscale Taco Bell Menu That David Einhorn Thinks Will Cream Chipotle ></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/doritos-chips-that-taste-like-doritos-locos-tacos-2013-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nacho-cheese-doritos-brand-2012-12The Psychological Secrets Behind Nacho Cheese Doritoshttp://www.businessinsider.com/nacho-cheese-doritos-brand-2012-12
Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:54:00 -0500Kim Bhasin
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/50d1ed1b6bb3f74e3500001c-400-/doritos-2.jpg" border="0" alt="doritos" width="400" /></p><p>In 1966, Frito-Lay launched the first tortilla chip brand nationwide.&nbsp;Back then, the salty snack market was dominated by potato chips and pretzels.</p>
<p><span>Now, Doritos are everywhere, led by Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch, Spicy Nacho, and Salsa Verde flavors. And this year marks the 40th anniversary of Nacho Cheese Doritos, which has become the most popular flavor of them all.</span></p>
<p><span>We spoke with Frito-Lay marketing VP Ram Krishnan about the evolution of Doritos and how the chips became so hugely successful.</span></p>
<p>Frito-Lay has to provide a product experience that you can't get anywhere else, explained Krishnan. It's not just the product itself &mdash; it's everything from start to finish.</p>
<p>The bag, for instance, screams bright orange cheese. When you take the product out of the bag, your hand gets all cheesy. After taking a bite, the flavor hits your tongue first, and at the end, it gives you a smooth cheese feel. And, of course, once you're done, you have to lick the cheese off of your fingers.</p>
<p>"There's a lot of science that goes into developing the Nacho Cheese flavor," said Krishnan. "We develop the flavor so that there's a sequencing involved for the best experience."</p>
<p>The core target is the 19-year-old kid, perhaps in college and with a job. They've always been told what to do.</p>
<p>"It takes them out of the norm," said Krishnan. "Disengages them from all of the stress that they have, taking them to a different place."</p>
<p>"That's what we call a bold immersive experience. It's what we're going for when they open the bag of Doritos and take the first bite."</p>
<p>But there are dangers, especially when you're trying to build a holistic experience.</p>
<p>"We might take it too far, where it might not resonate with the mainstream," said Krishnan. "So it's a fine balance, but we always keep in mind how the consumers feel."</p>
<p>It's about staying "cool" in the same way music and fashion have to remain trendy, he said. That means the brand's products must be constantly reinvented to stay relevant. If you can't do that, you're doomed.</p>
<p>Data mining is big for Doritos. The folks at Frito-Lay get data every week on what kind of food consumers are eating, what kind of flavors they're into, and more.</p>
<p>"We go with the consumers as their tastes change," said Krishnan. "Talking to consumers is not a one-off thing."</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/office-tour-mcdonalds-hq-2012-12" >Step Inside The Building Where McDonald's Runs Its Global Empire ></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nacho-cheese-doritos-brand-2012-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cracker-jacks-with-caffeine-2012-11Don't Let Your Kids Eat New Ramped-Up Cracker Jackshttp://www.businessinsider.com/cracker-jacks-with-caffeine-2012-11
Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:49:00 -0500Dina Spector
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4ef0d2c7ecad04c02d00000f-900-675/cracker-jacks-fab-fabcom-december-2011-bi-dng.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="cracker jacks, fab, fab.com, december 2011, bi, dng" width="400" /></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-workers-and-management-both-caused-the-fall-of-hostess-2012-11">Twinkies may be no more</a>, but a new sweet snack made by the Cracker Jack Company may help fill the empty slot on grocery store shelves. &nbsp;</p>
<p><span>Frito-Lay, the company that makes Cracker Jacks, introduced&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/CrackerJackDSnacks">Cracker Jack'D&nbsp;Power Bites</a> this morning.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span><span>The new snack has taken the traditional candy-coated popcorn and injected it with a healthy dose of caffeine in the form of coffee. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p>Two flavors, vanilla mocha and cocoa java, will be packed with 70 mg of caffeine, which is <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/cracker-jacks-surprise-caffeine/story?id=17729656#.UKZ6deOe94E">equal to a 1-ounce shot of espresso or two 12-ounce cans of cola</a>, says ABCNews.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Sounds fun!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, not everyone is amped about the java-coated bites. In light of health issues associated with caffeine-pumped products (both <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fda-investigating-monster-energy-drink-death-reports-stock-plunges-2012-10">Monster Energy</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/now-5-hour-energy-drinks-are-being-cited-in-deaths-2012-11">5-Hour-Energy</a> drinks have recently been cited in deaths linked to their caffeine content), the Center For Science in the Public Interest <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/fda-roosevelt-letter-11-14-12.pdf">wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;urging the organization to crack down on caffeinated food and drinks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"The way things are going, I fear that we'll see caffeine, or coffee, being added to ever-more improbable drinks and snacks, putting children, unsuspecting pregnant women, and others at risk," CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201211141.html">said in statement</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span>The organization is largely concerned that because Cracker Jacks is historically a "kid-friendly food," the new snack will be appealing to children, who are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>According to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/energy-drinks-contain-more-caffeine-2012-10">myhealthnewsdaily</a>, "moderate doses of caffeine, between 200 to 300 mg, aren't harmful for healthy adults, whereas heavy daily use, of more than 500 mg, can&nbsp;<a href="http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/2710-strange-insomnia-facts-treatments.html">cause insomnia</a>, fast heartbeat and muscle tremors."&nbsp;<br /></span></p>
<p><span>Frito-Lay ensures consumers that&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/CrackerJackDSnacks">Cracker Jack'D</a>&nbsp;will be targeted toward adults.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/cracker-jacks-surprise-caffeine/story?id=17729656#.UKZ6deOe94E"><span>From ABCNews:</span></a></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>Frito-Lay, a division of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/pepsico" class="hidden_link">PepsiCo</a>. Inc., said <strong>the company's new coffee toffee will be marketed to adults exclusively</strong>, with the presence of both coffee and caffeine clearly called out on both the front and back of the package, and the brand's iconic boy-and-dog logo featured against a black background to avoid any confusion with their kid's lines.</span></p>
<p>Here's the new Cracker Jack line. Some other interesting flavors, including Spicy Pizzeria and Cheddar BBQ, do not contain caffeine. The product will enter supermarkets later this year. &nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/50a67daeeab8ea5d5b000013-603-304/cracker-jack.jpg" border="0" alt="Cracker Jack" /></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-marijuana-does-to-your-body-and-mind-2012-11">What Marijuana Does To Your Mind And Body&nbsp;</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cracker-jacks-with-caffeine-2012-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-and-romney-cheetos-portraits-2012-10Check Out These Obama and Romney Portraits Made Entirely Of Cheetoshttp://www.businessinsider.com/obama-and-romney-cheetos-portraits-2012-10
Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:29:57 -0400Megan Willett
<p>Remember those <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/beef-jerky-portraits-of-barack-obama-and-mitt-romney-2012-8" target="_blank">beef jerky portraits of Romney and Obama</a>? Well, Cheetos decided it wanted to get in on the action, too.</p>
<p>The portraits debuted on <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/facebook">Facebook</a> this morning as a part of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cheetos" target="_blank">Cheetos' "Vote 4 The Big Cheese" poll</a>. Fans can vote for their favorite candidate&mdash;or Cheetos portrait&mdash;for a chance to win one of the nominees' Cheetos face. Voting will end on 11 a.m. October 16.</p>
<p>Jason Baalman is the artist behind the snack food renditions of the two candidates, with a combined 100 hours of work sorting and gluing each individual Cheetos piece into place.</p>
<p>The artist has also previously immortalized <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/conan-obrien">Conan O'Brien</a>, CeeLo Green, and Rachael Ray with the <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/pepsico">PepsiCo</a> Frito-Lay treat.</p>
<p>Check out Baalman at work and his finished products below.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/506c9d47ecad040e4b000004-3654-2470/baalman-cheetos-obama-romney.jpg?maxX=618" border="0" alt="Baalman Cheetos Obama Romney" width="618" /></p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/506c9d78eab8ea4978000005-3678-2386/baalman-cheetos-obama-romney.jpg" border="0" alt="Baalman Cheetos Obama Romney" width="618" /></p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/506c9dec69beddca5d000000-3556-2292/baalman-cheetos-obama-romney.jpg" border="0" alt="Baalman Cheetos Obama Romney" width="618" /></p>
<p><strong>NOW SEE: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-vs-romney-real-estate-2012-10">A Side-By-Side Comparison Of Obama And Romney's Houses &gt;</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-and-romney-cheetos-portraits-2012-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/frito-lay-cmo-the-days-of-traditional-mass-marketing-are-over-2012-7FRITO-LAY CMO: The Days Of Traditional Mass Marketing Are Overhttp://www.businessinsider.com/frito-lay-cmo-the-days-of-traditional-mass-marketing-are-over-2012-7
Fri, 20 Jul 2012 19:03:00 -0400Kim Bhasin
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4fa9429d69bedded2900000e/times-square-new-york.jpg" border="0" alt="times square new york" /></p><p>The marketing world is changing. Marketers have more channels than ever to get their message across, but not everyone out there is doing it right.</p>
<p>We spoke with Ann Muhkerjee, SVP and CMO of Frito-Lay North America, about where marketing is going as technology and consumers change.</p>
<p>"<strong>I think what people want are brand experiences</strong>," says Muhkerjee. "<strong>I think the days of traditional mass marketing are kind of over</strong>."</p>
<p>Companies, especially those promoting big brands, can't settle on launching a national ad campaign that consists of a bunch of billboards and television commercials. They have to hit many platforms, and they have to connect them.</p>
<p>"[Marketing] has to be a conduit into the multi-screen world that everyone's living in," she says. "How do you connect TV to social to mobile to apps to outdoor? How do you create a two-way conversation?"</p>
<p>Take pop-up stores, for example. Muhkerjee considers them a way to provide customers something to "engage and play" with. That's why it opened a pop-up store in Times <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/square" class="hidden_link">Square</a> to promote the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lays-new-flavor-competition-2012-7">million-dollar Lay's flavor creation contest</a>.</p>
<p>There's a trap that marketers may fall into though, says Muhkerjee. People are always trying to simplify things into a formula, but that's just not possible. Every brand should have a different strategy, because every brand is unique.</p>
<p>How do they do this at Frito-Lay &mdash; a part of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/pepsico" class="hidden_link">PepsiCo</a> &mdash; a company that has a huge assortment of big-name brands?</p>
<p><span>Since Frito-Lay has the backing of a large multinational, and it can use its strengths (like global manufacturing and a big research budget) to capture local markets' imagination fast.</span></p>
<p>"The ability to leverage the scale of our company and make it flexible," says Muhkerjee. "Our ability to then translate that to local substance. That's our secret.&nbsp;A potato chip is a potato chip globally, but the flavor, we lift and shift flavors all the time."</p>
<h3><strong>NOW SEE: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/soda-brands-that-failed-2012-6">16 Failed Soda Brands You'll Never See Again &gt;</a></strong></h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/frito-lay-cmo-the-days-of-traditional-mass-marketing-are-over-2012-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/extreme-mascot-makeovers-2012-4MASCOT MAKEOVERS: What Your Favorite Brand Icons Looked Like Past And Presenthttp://www.businessinsider.com/extreme-mascot-makeovers-2012-4
Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:35:15 -0400Mallory Russell
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4f3fca4669bedd047a000048/burger-king-flame.jpg" border="0" alt="burger king flame" /></p><p>Brand mascots, like fashion trends, tend to show their age. Makeovers are necessary in order for mascots to stay relevant.</p>
<p>Some mascots, like the Jolly Green Giant, are updated to take advantage of new technologies. While others, like Chester Cheetah or the Quaker Oats Man, are overhauled to keep up with social changes like the rising concerns of advertising to children and obesity.</p>
<p>Of course, not every makeover turns out for the best. When Burger King and its ad agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, revised its mascot, The King, in 2003 there was a general consensus that the spokesman was pretty creepy. In fact, he ranks first on the list of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-brand-spokescharacters-that-america-hates-the-most-2012-2">brand mascots that America hates most</a>, according to E-Poll.</p><h3>Burger King used an animated King to advertise to children in the 1960s. He was phased out in the 1980s. BK revived him in 2003, but he was again retired in 2011.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4f9af9e569bedd2c3600001c-400-300/burger-king-used-an-animated-king-to-advertise-to-children-in-the-1960s-he-was-phased-out-in-the-1980s-bk-revived-him-in-2003-but-he-was-again-retired-in-2011.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Aunt Jemima was created in 1889. The mammy caricature eventually drew criticism following the civil rights movement. Despite that, the modern Jemima wasn't created until 1989.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4f9b034669bedda64600000b-400-300/aunt-jemima-was-created-in-1889-the-mammy-caricature-eventually-drew-criticism-following-the-civil-rights-movement-despite-that-the-modern-jemima-wasnt-created-until-1989.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>The Minnesota Valley Canning Company introduced the giant in 1928. Since then he became green and grew quite a few inches.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4f9b054e69bedd744900000d-400-300/the-minnesota-valley-canning-company-introduced-the-giant-in-1928-since-then-he-became-green-and-grew-quite-a-few-inches.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/extreme-mascot-makeovers-2012-4#before-bbdo-created-chester-cheetah-in-1986-cheetos-mascot-was-a-mouse-when-cheetos-decided-it-would-no-longer-advertise-to-kids-in-2007-chester-got-a-rather-dark-makeover-courtesy-of-goodby-silverstein-and-partners-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-taco-bell-created-doritos-tacos-locos-2012-4How Taco Bell Created The Infamous Doritos Tacoshttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-taco-bell-created-doritos-tacos-locos-2012-4
Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:40:00 -0400Kim Bhasin
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4f5a58d6eab8ea6f3900008b-400-/dorito-taco-11.jpg" border="0" alt="dorito taco 11" width="400" /></p><p>Taco Bell's Doritos Locos Tacos are an important part of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-gourmet-competing-with-chipotle-qdoba-2012-1">Yum! Brands' strategy</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-1-thing-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-taco-bell-taco-made-out-of-doritos-2012-2">turn the chain's fortunes around</a> in the U.S.</p>
<p>It's also a crazy idea, and one of the strangest menu items you can find at America's fast food chains.</p>
<p>We spoke with two members of the innovation team at Taco <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/bell" class="hidden_link">Bell</a>, marketing manager Kat Garcia and product developer Steve Gomez, about how they developed the Doritos taco.</p>
<p><strong>The birth of the idea</strong></p>
<p>It all started in the most stereotypically corporate way possible: <strong>a brainstorming session</strong>.</p>
<p>Folks from the teams at Taco Bell and Frito-Lay got together to come up with ideas for co-branded items, and they drew up all the ideas they came up with. One idea stuck out: a taco with a Doritos shell.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The idea was such a hit that it made its way all the way up the corporate ladder. The CEOs and CMOs of both Taco Bell and Frito-Lay talked about what an amazing idea it was, and they wanted to make it happen.</p>
<p>"That was a key to the success of this," says Garcia. "Everyone from the top down was willing to make this happen.</p>
<p><strong>Testing</strong></p>
<p><span>The first iteration of the Doritos taco shell was just a regular yellow Taco Bell taco with Doritos nacho cheese flavoring added to it.</span></p>
<p>It bombed. Focus groups didn't like it because the execution was severely lacking, but they did think the idea was great.</p>
<p>"People didn't really believe that it was really truly Doritos," says Garcia, and the reality check sent them on a mission. They had to make it as authentic as possible. Or, as Gomez says, it had to be "really legit."</p>
<p>"We needed to be as true to the chip as possible," says Garcia. "Our main focus was to make sure that it was completely legitimate &mdash; that it was a real recipe and that people really knew it."</p>
<p>That's why so much of Taco Bell's marketing of the product reminds you that it really is Doritos. In the ads, Taco Bell makes sure to feature the original Doritos chips, along with the Doritos packaging, to make sure that the message comes across.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4f5a58e069bedd3044000005/dorito-taco-12.jpg" border="0" alt="dorito taco 12" width="400" /></p>
<p>So, bottom line, how different is the current product available in stores from regular retail Doritos in bags?</p>
<p>"It's similar in the sense that it starts off with a corn [formula]," says Gomez. "It has the same texture as the chip, and the current yellow shell doesn't have that chip effect. The flavoring is exactly the same as the retail chip."</p>
<p>And yes, your fingers end up dusted orange, just like a normal Nacho Cheese Doritos chip.</p>
<p><strong>The launch</strong></p>
<p>Two years after the taco adventure began, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-is-about-to-debut-its-new-doritos-taco-shells-nationwide-2012-2">Doritos Locos Tacos finally launched with a ton of hype</a> at its back. But that launch brought a new set of issues for Taco Bell.</p>
<p>"You can imagine the amount of shells we need for a launch like this," says Gomez. "You have to make something efficiently and fast no matter what the category is. <span>That's where the tech and innovation comes into play."</span></p>
<p><span>Taco Bell knows how to make taco shells and Frito-Lay knows how to make Doritos. So they had to put their technical skills together to come up with a way to produce these things on a huge scale.</span></p>
<p><span></span>The engineers managed to pull it off, and there are now four production lines for Doritos Locos Tacos strategically located around the country to supply its restaurants.</p>
<p><strong>What's next for Taco Bell and Frito-Lay?</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Frito-Lay parent <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/pepsico" class="hidden_link">PepsiCo</a> owned Taco Bell for a long time, having bought it from its founder Glen Bell in 1978. It spun off its restaurant business in 1997, and since then, the two companies have done some projects together.</p>
<p>For instance, <a href="http://www.bevreview.com/2004/07/30/review-mountain-dew-baja-blast/">Mountain Dew Baja Blast</a> &mdash; a tropical-lime-flavored soft drink &mdash; <span>is a flavor made exclusively for sale at Taco Bell and&nbsp;</span>is specially formulated to go with the chain's fare. And last year, Taco Bell released the Beefy Crunch Burrito, which had "Flamin' Hot" Fritos inside of it.</p>
<p>"This is just the beginning of a bigger broader idea and a whole new business," says Garcia, who assures us that there's "other ideas in the hopper."&nbsp;So get ready, the upcoming&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bells-cool-ranch-doritos-tacos-coming-out-this-summer-2012-4">Cool Ranch version of the Doritos Locos Tacos</a> won't be the end of this partnership.</p>
<p>But will any of them work?&nbsp;An important thing for Taco Bell is to make these products stick, and make sure consumers don't consider it a one-time gimmick like the limited-time offerings fast food chains constantly churn out.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-truth-about-the-dorito-taco-its-delicious-but-not-a-dorito-2012-3">nacho cheese version created plenty of buzz</a> and got people into stores one time, but the turnaround-minded Taco Bell is counting on them to come back for more if it wants to put up a better fight against brands like Chipotle.</p>
<h3><strong>NOW SEE: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-popular-restaurant-chains-this-year-google-zeitgeist-2011-12">The 10 Most Popular Restaurant Brands &gt;</a></strong></h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-taco-bell-created-doritos-tacos-locos-2012-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p>